What’s abuse?

Domestic abuse (also called domestic violence) takes place when one person behaves aggressively towards another person they are or were in an intimate relationship with. It can happen in many different relationships. It can happen between people who are married or going out together, between people who are living together or living separately. Most commonly (but not always) it is the man who is the abuser and the woman who gets hurt.

While domestic abuse happens most commonly between adults, the children and young people in the family can also be affected by the abuse they witness and sometimes they too can be physically hurt and bullied.

Young people can also experience abuse in their own relationship with their boy/girlfriend.

Domestic abuse can involve several different types of abuse such as:

Physical

Emotional/verbal

Sexual

Financial

Physical abuse includes:

being pushed, punched, slapped, kicked, stabbed, beaten with an object or weapon

being spat and urinated on

being bitten, pulled by the hair, burnt or scalded

being threatened with physical abuse

things being smashed or thrown

Emotional/verbal abuse includes:

name calling and constantly being put down

being shouted at or criticised

being accused of being unfaithful

being stalked or harassed

phone calls, text messages and emails being checked

being isolated from family and friends

being threatened

making threats to harm themselves or someone else

Sexual abuse includes:

being raped

being forced to take part in sexual acts against your will

being forced to watch and/or use pornography or other sexual aids

Financial abuse includes:

having no control over the money in the household

being forced to provide receipts for what money is spent

being forced to hand over all the money

being denied money for essentials

not being allowed to work

ADAPT Domestic Abuse Services promotes the right of everyone to live and grow to their full potential in a violence free environment.